As we head into a new year, we’re looking ahead to predict what food trends we’ll see in 2023… and beyond. This year, we’ve seen a big rise in demand for high quality street food, along with a shift from traditional office lunches to more out-of-the box ideas and unusual flavour combinations. We expect these trends will continue over the next 12 months, bringing some exciting new foods to the menu. 

Here are 3 exciting new foods we might see emerge in the UK during 2023:

1. Panuozzo

It may smell like pizza, and it may have all the classic flavours of the Italian favourite, but panuozzo is like nothing you’ve ever tasted before. A cross between a pizza and a sandwich, panuozzo originates from the Campania region of Italy, and is a popular Italian street food dish that we expect to see on many menus next year. 

Panuozzo is made by cooking two lengths of pizza dough in a traditional wood-fired oven, in exactly the same way that pizza is cooked. However, as the dough is ‘naked’, with no toppings weighing it down, it puffs up in the high heat of the oven, almost like a pita or naan. Once crisp, it’s filled with traditional - or non-traditional - pizza toppings and placed back in the oven to perfectly melt the cheese. 

Freshly cooked panuozzo is wrapped up in greaseproof paper, and eaten as a snack while strolling around Campania. And we think it’s the UK’s next big thing. 

2. Sando

Japan is known for its beautifully delicate foods, from the light-as-air souffle cheesecake to melt-in-the-mouth mochi. But one delicacy that’s yet to hit UK menus is sando: a Japanese take on a classic western sandwich. But, of course, the Japanese have gone one step further, turning an everyday lunch into a work of art. 

Sando is essentially an Instagram-worthy sandwich that’s almost too beautiful to eat. It’s typically made from white milk bread - with the crusts cut off - and filled with anything from crispy pork cutlet to strawberries and cream. But what really sets it apart is how it's presented .Sando sandwiches are carefully sliced to reveal the beautifully and strategically arranged fillings, and wrapped in delicate tissue paper. 

With recent reports showing that Brits are bored of having the same lunch day after day, we think there’s definitely a place on the menu for something a little different. 

3. Savoury Ice Cream

From vanilla to strawberry, and chocolate to pistachio, ice cream is one of the nation’s favourite sweet treats. But we think that 2023 will bring something a little out of the ordinary: ice cream desserts based on some of the country’s favourite savoury flavours. The flavour possibilities are practically an endless opportunity for innovation.

We’re already seeing the very beginnings of swapping sweet and savoury flavours. For example, supermarkets are starting to sell chocolate-flavoured hummus. And earlier this year, fashion designer Anya Hindmarch opened a pop-up shop in London selling ice cream tubs filled with weird and wonderful flavours like baked bean, brown sauce, and ketchup. In 2023, we expect this trend to go to the next level.

So, what would be on your wish list for a savoury ice cream flavour? Roast dinner? Pizza flavour? There’s no limit to what can be achieved with a bit of creativity! 

Tags: food trends